AYUSH
First-ever WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine to be held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat
Largest international event on Traditional Medicine to be organised on the 17th and 18th August
In the last 9 years, India has developed 8 folds in the field of traditional medicine: Union AYUSH Secretary
Ministry of Ayush and World Health Organisation are organising the two day Traditional Medicine Global Summit, on 17th and 18th August 2023 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. Secretary, Ministry of Ayush Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha brief the media today at Gandhinagar, Gujrat ahead of the first global summit on traditional medicine. Additional Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Shri Lav Agarwal also addressed the media.
The Union AYUSH Secretary highlighted that the Global Centre on Traditional Medicines in Jamnagar, Gujarat, established by the WHO, is the first such centre in a developing country. He also informed that the WHO will convene the Traditional Medicine Global Summit, co-hosted by the Ministry of AYUSH, on 17th and 18th August, 2023 in Gandhinagar which will explore the role of traditional, complementary and integrative medicine in addressing pressing health challenges and driving progress in global health and sustainable development.
In response to a question on holistic healthcare in Ayush, Vd. Kotecha said that work on traditional medicine systems is ongoing in multiple directions on multiple platforms. He said that Along with mainstream health care, evidence-based research is being done in the field of AYUSH today in dealing with diseases like cancer, TB, communicable diseases and women and child health with scientific approach.
Addressing the media persons Vd. Kotecha, stated, “The G20 is a unique opportunity to showcase India's leadership in the field of traditional medicine. In the last 9 years, India has developed eight folds in the field of traditional medicine. By the end of the year, more than 12,500 Ayush-based Health & wellness centers will be functional across the nation, out of which 8,500 are already in place”.
During the discussion, Vd. Kotecha shared that the Ayush visa will facilitate global access to Indian traditional medicine systems and will usher in a new era of comprehensive healthcare. One of the summit’s most noteworthy features is the Ayush Exhibition Zone, an attraction not to be missed, he added. It promises to be an immersive experience with innovative and interactive kiosks.
During the press briefing, secretary Ayush applauded the collaboration between the Indian government and the WHO in hosting the largest international event on Traditional Medicine. He highlighted the significance of the WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine, which was inaugurated in 2022 as the United Nation’s first and largest traditional medicine outpost in any developing country.
Health ministers from 30 countries will attend this two-day event. It is expected to be one of the largest gatherings of its kind, bringing together participants from over 90 countries, distinguished members of academia, government representatives and significant players from the traditional medicine sector.
Shri Lav Agarwal provided an overview of India’s healthcare sector and its progress, as well as the challenges it faces and its current priorities. With India holding the current G20 presidency, he highlighted the nation’s strengths in healthcare and urged for efforts to be focused on maximizing its contribution to the global healthcare sector.
Shri Lav Agarwal praised India’s contribution to the world’s well-being. He brought to attention the many Yoga Centres that have come up in the far-flung regions of the globe, enhancing their healthcare. He added that India’s approach is holistic healthcare through modern and Ayush medicine.